Culture, Creativity, Innovation Ch 14 Part 2: April 16

Changing Cultures What affects change in cultures? Strategies for merging cultures: –Assimilation –Deculturation –Integration –Separation

Strengthening Cultures Actions of leaders Introduce culturally consistent rewards Maintain stable workforce Selection process (screen for culture fit) Socialization process (mold new ees)

Creativity Production of novel, useful ideas –Can be trained; can use group methods –Delphi technique 3 components of creativity 1.Must have basic relevant skills in area 2.Creativity skills needed Individual Diffs in this – related to? Age effects? Tenure effects?

(cont.) 3.Intrinsic motivation – Amabile (’96), people will be most creative when motivated by interest, sat, & challenge of the work itself, not by external pressures. –Note importance of social environment/culture –May also be linked to positive affect – –Multiplicative relationship betw 3 components : –how does it work?

Amabile’s research Importance of social environment on creativity – –3 features appear to be critical: –1) Competition – different effects depending on locus of the competition How so? –2) Time pressure – paradox but overall a slight neg effect (cont…)

(cont.) –How does legitimacy of the time pressure affect creativity? 3. Rewards – complex effects. –What does she mean by the ‘threshold effect’ with resources?

Innovation Process of developing & implementing new ideas –Could include products or processes –Examples: Orgs have to innovate to survive, but innovation may be resisted & become political

(cont.) Implement creative ideas within org –Org must have culture that values innovation –Must have resources (financial, people) –Management linked w/innovation How so? Examples?

Innovation Case studies of innovative orgs reveal presence of 1 or more ‘idea champions’ –Who are these? Howell & Higgens (90) study comparing champions v non-champions who worked on same project: –Differences in the groups? –What may lead you to be a ‘champion’?

Innovation Communication – w/external environment –“Gatekeepers” - what do they do? Internal v external communication Examples:

Best Practices in Innovation Set challenging goals –Application? Introducing diversity/new ideas –How? Create opportunities for talented ees –GE example: Reward innovation – w/share of profits (GE)